Saturday, December 15, 2007

EPPIE Envy

I'll confess. I've been suffering from EPPIE envy for some time now.

For those who don't know what I'm talking about, the EPPIES is a major e-book contest sponsored by EPIC, the Electronically Published Internet Connection, an organization of e-book authors and publishers.

I first saw the EPPIE statue at the 2003 EPICon in Tampa Beach, Florida, where my dear friend Helen Haddad won the EPPIE in the Romantic Suspence category for her wonderful book, Picture of Guilt. A year later at the EPICon in 2004, I had the honor of accepting two EPPIES for my friends, Catherine Snodgrass and Bryndis Rubin, in the same category, for their novel, Judging Ellie.

Since then, I've been lusting in my heart after an EPPIE. I've entered the contest year after year, hoping to make the final round, but to no avail. Until now.

Imagine, then, my delight at learning that Finding Jason, written under my pseudonym, Lyndi Lamont, is a finalist in the GLBT category. I am both thrilled and stunned by the honor of being an EPPIE finalist. My only regret is that Helen is no longer with us to share in my excitement at being a finalist. She loved Finding Jason and I know she'd be as happy for me as I was for her.

I'm also thrilled that Caitlyn Willows, my friend (and roommate for the upcoming EPICon) is also a finalist, in the Erotica category, for One To Grow On. We'll sit together at the EPPIE banquet and quiet each other's nerves while waiting for the announcements, console each other if we don't win and celebrate if one of us does win.